NEWS- It was pomp and glamour this week as the North Kigezi Diocesan Bishop Onesimus Asiimwe confirmed 42 inmates at Rukungiri main prison in Eastern division of Rukungiri municipality. The confirmands comprised 35 male and 7 female.
Bishop Asiimwe was accompanied by Ven. Amatsiko Niwegariho, the Archdeacon of All Saints Church Rukungiri, and a number of other clergy from within the Archdeaconry.
The Bishop used the same occasion to encourage the inmates to place their trust in God, emphasizing that He is the only one capable of guiding them from incarceration to freedom.
He encouraged them to always pray to their creator asserting that God can create a path even where there seems to be none sympathizing with those who may be unjustly imprisoned and urged them to maintain faith in the face of adversity.
Bishop Asiimwe commended the administration of Rukungiri Prisons, particularly acknowledging the leadership of Officer in Charge Ms. Bredah Namuri, for allowing religious fellowships within the prison grounds stressing that the Church is committed to keep serving this role for the prisoners.
The OC of Rukungiri main prison Ms. Bredah Namuri expressed gratitude for the Bishop’s visit, highlighting that over 40 inmates embraced Christianity during the confirmation ceremony crediting the impact of prayer, guidance, and counseling for fostering discipline among the inmates, positively influencing their behavior upon reintegration into society.
Rev. Ronald Natuhwera, the chaplain of Rukungiri main prison who has been at the helm of training the confirmands extended appreciation to Bishop Asiimwe for choosing Rukungiri prison for the confirmation of Christians and for his ongoing support. Rev. Natuhwera noted that there is a visible positive change in inmates’ behavior during his eight years of chaplaincy.
Head of Inmates at Rukungiri main prison Ronald Niwagira acknowledged the Bishop for providing them with a chaplain who regularly prays for them stressing that the inmates have acquired vocational skills such as weaving, bricklaying, and carpentry. Niwagira expressed their willingness to engage in coffee growing post-release, influenced by the Bishop’s radio messages.
Niwagira also requested the Bishop to address the growing issue of domestic violence, as many inmates find themselves in prison due to such cases.
As a gesture of celebration, Bishop Asiimwe gifted the inmates a fat cow for the upcoming Christmas festive, fostering a sense of joy and camaraderie within the prison community.
